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〃That is good；〃 I said。 〃You played well。〃
〃Good！ baas；〃 he answered； 〃and I with two cuts in my nose in which I
can lay my finger； and bites all over me。 Look how my trousers are
torn。 Look at my headwhere is the hair？ Look at my nose。 Good！
Played well！ It is those verdomde aasvogels that played。 Oh！ baas； if
you had seen and smelt them； you would not say that it was good。 See；
one more second and I； who have two nostrils； should have had four。〃
〃Never mind； Hans；〃 I said； 〃it is only a scratch； and I will make you a
present of some new trousers。 Also； here is tobacco for you。 Come to
the bush； let us talk。〃
So we went； and when Hans was a little composed I told him all that I
had observed about the habits of the aasvogel in the air； and he told me
all that he had observed about their habits on the ground； which； as I
might not shoot them sitting； did not interest me。 Still； he agreed
with me that the right moment to fire would be just before they pounced。
Whilst we were still talking we heard a sound of shouts； and； looking
over the brow of the hill that faced towards Umgungundhlovu； we saw a
melancholy sight。 Being driven up the slope towards us by three
executioners and a guard of seven or eight soldiers； their hands tied
behind their backs； were three men； one very old； one of about fifty
years of age； and one a lad； who did not look more than eighteen。 As I
soon heard； they were of a single family； the grandfather； the father；
and the eldest son； who had been seized upon some ridiculous charge of
witchcraft； but really in order that the king might take their cattle。
Having been tried and condemned by the Nyangas； or witch…doctors； these
poor wretches were now doomed to die。 Indeed； not content with thus
destroying the heads of the tribe； present and to come； for three
generations； all their descendants and collaterals had already been
wiped out by Dingaan； so that he might pose as sole heir to the family
cattle。
Such were the dreadful cruelties that happened in Zululand in those
days。
CHAPTER XIV
THE PLAY
The doomed three were driven by their murderers into the centre of the
depression； within a few yards of which Hans and I were standing。
After them came the head executioner； a great brute who wore a curiously
shaped leopard…skin capI suppose as a badge of officeand held in his
hand a heavy kerry； the shaft of which was scored with many notches；
each of them representing a human life。
〃See； White Man；〃 he shouted； 〃here is the bait which the king sends to
draw the holy birds to you。 Had it not been that you needed such bait；
perhaps these wizards would have escaped。 But the Black One said the
little Son of George； who is named Macumazahn； needs them that he may
show his magic； and therefore they must die to…day。〃
Now； at this information I turned positively sick。 Nor did it make me
feel better when the youngest of the victims； hearing the executioner's
words； flung himself upon his knees； and began to implore me to spare
him。 His grandfather also addressed me； saying：
〃Chief； will it not be enough if I die？ I am old； and my life does not
matter。 Or if one is not sufficient； take me and my son； and let the
lad； my grandson； go free。 We are all of us innocent of any witchcraft；
and he is not even old enough to practise such things； being but an
unmarried boy。 Chief； you； also； are young。 Would not your heart be
heavy if you had to be slain when the sun of your life was still new in
the sky？ Think； White Chief； what your father would feel； if you have
one； should he be forced to see you killed before his eyes； that some
stranger might use your body to show his skill with a magic weapon by
slaying the wild things that would eat it。〃
Now； almost with tears； I broke in； explaining to the venerable man as
well as I could that their horrible fate had nothing to do with me。 I
told him that I was innocent of their blood； who was forced to be there
to try to shoot vultures on the wing in order to save my white
companions from a doom similar to their own。 He listened attentively；
asking a question now and again； and when he had mastered my meaning；
said with a most dignified calmness：
〃Now I understand； White Man； and am glad to learn that you are not
cruel； as I thought。 My children；〃 he added； turning to the others；
〃let us trouble this Inkoos no more。 He only does what he must do to
save the lives of his brethren by his skill； if he can。 If we continue
to plead with him and stir his heart to pity； the sorrow swelling in it
may cause his hand to shake； and then they will die also； and their
blood be on his head and ours。 My children； it is the king's will that
we should be slain。 Let us make ready to obey the king； as men of our
House have always done。 White lord； we thank you for your good words。
May you live long； and may good fortune sleep in your hut to the end。
May you shoot straight； also； with your magic tool； and thereby win the
lives of your company out of the hand of the king。 Farewell； Inkoos；〃
and since he could not lift his bound hands in salutation； he bowed to
me； as did the others。
Then they walked to a little distance； and； seating themselves on the
ground； began to talk together； and after a while to drone some strange
chant in unison。 The executioners and the guards also sat down not far
away； laughing； chatting； and passing a horn of snuff from hand to hand。
Indeed； I observed that the captain of them even took some snuff to the
victims； and held it in his palm beneath their noses while they drew it
up their nostrils and politely thanked him between the sneezes。
As for myself； I lit a pipe and smoked it； for I seemed to require a
stimulant； or； rather； a sedative。 Before it was finished Hans； who was
engaged in doctoring his scratches made by the vultures' beaks with a
concoction of leaves which he had been chewing； exclaimed suddenly in
his matter…of…fact voice：
〃See； baas； here they come； the white people on one side and the black
on the other； just like the goats and the sheep at Judgment Day in the
Book。〃
I looked； and there to my right appeared the party of Boers； headed by
the Vrouw Prinsloo； who held the remnants of an old umbrella over her
head。 To the left advanced a number of Zulu nobles and councillors； in
front of whom waddled Dingaan arrayed in his bead dancing dress。 He was
supported by two stalwart body…servants； whilst a third held a shield
over his head to protect him from the sun； and a fourth carried a large
stool； upon which he was to sit。 Behind each party； also； I perceived a
number of Zulus in their war…dress； all of them armed with broad
stabbing spears。
The two parties arrived at the stone upon which I was sitting almost
simultaneously； as probably it had been arranged that they should do；
and halted； staring at each other。 As for me； I sat still upon my stone
and smoked on。
〃Allemachte！ Allan；〃 puffed the Vrouw Prinsloo； who was breathless with
her walk up the hill； 〃so here you are！ As you did not come back； I
thought you had run away and left us； like that stinkcat Pereira。〃
〃Yes； Tante （aunt）； here I am；〃 I answered gloomily； 〃and I wish to
heaven that I was somewhere else。〃
Just then Dingaan； having settled his great bulk upon the stool and
recovered his breath； called to the lad Halstead； who was with him； and
said：
〃O Tho…maas； ask your brother； Macumazahn； if he is ready to try to
shoot the vultures。 If not； as I wish to be fair； I will give him a
little more time to make his magic medicine。〃
I replied sulkily that I was as ready as I was ever likely to be。
Then the Vrouw Prinsloo； understanding that the king of the Zulus was
before her； advanced upon him； waving her umbrella。 Catching hold of
Halstead； who understood Dutch； she forced him to translate an harangue；
which she addressed to Dingaan。
Had he rendered it exactly as it came from her lips； we should all have
been dead in five minutes； but； luckily； that unfortunate young man had
learnt some of the guile of the serpent during his sojourn among the
Zulus； and varied her vigorous phrases。 The gist of her discourse was
that he； Dingaan； was a black…hearted and bloody…minded villain； with
whom the Almighty would come even sooner or later （as； indeed； He did）；
and that if he dared to touch one hair of her or of her companions'
heads； the Boers； her countrymen； would prove themselves to be the
ministers of the Almighty in that matter （as； indeed； they did）。 As
translated by Halstead into Zulu； what she said was that Dingaan was the
greatest king in the whole world； in fact； that there was not； and never
had been； any such a king either in power； wisdom； or personal beauty；
and that if she and her companions had to die； the sight of his glory